A.N: Thank you for your support, it's very nice to know that you're enjoying. Your comments help me a lot! Now I let you to discover what Callen is planning :)

Chapter 36

In spite of Hetty's encouragements Callen was nervous. He was more a man of action than a man of words and he wasn't a team player even if he had learned how to do it. Now he had to lead more than one hundred hostile people who had never worked together before, and that probably didn't accept his authority.

Suddenly the connection was on. In front of him one screen divided in four sections, in each one the designed contact for the C.I.A., the D.E.A., the Port Authority and L.A.P.D. and their respective teams; behind him another screen, a big touch one with a satellite image of the city that Eric put together some minutes ago.

Sat at one side were the N.C.I.S. units with Hetty, of course, Kensi, Deeks, Eric and Nell who seemed more united than ever, and Murphy with his team.

Callen took a deep breath, cleared his throat and started:

- "Ladies, gentlemen, good afternoon. First of all I want to thank you for your availability in such a short notice, I'm well aware of the value of your time and I really appreciate you being here. For those who do not know me my name is …"- here he did an imperceptible pause- "…Grisha Callen currently team leader of the special first unit of the N.C.I.S., here in L.A., and former C.I.A. and D.E.A., specialized in undercover operations for more time that I can recall."

Some smiles appeared on the screens. Callen continued. He was looking imposing in Hetty's suite, classic enough for the old school directors, bold and casual for the white collar operatives. The bruises on his face and the butterfly stitches were his credentials to win over the field agents.

- "As you probably already know, I've been designated by the Secretary of Defense, Edmond Richardson, to coordinate a joint operation against the Molina cartel which ought to be the definitive one."

Kensi and Deeks exchanged looks with Nell and Eric, all four more than surprised, and some murmurs came from the screens.

Callen stopped the comments with a simple gesture of his hand and a defiant look.

- "We are on the same boat here and I'm not going to lie to you: the only person, who is going to hang a medal on his neck if we succeed, is the Secretary of Defense. We'll gain cleaner streets and, if we're lucky, a greeting card next Christmas from Washington probably without an extra pay."

This time laughs came from the screens.

- "The Molina cartel. What do we know about it? A Mexican national called Guillermo Molina, settled with his large family in South California. He previously lived in Colombia for five years where he stablished connections with the guerrilla. His plan was quite simple: to recover drugs from Colombia and to introduce them in U.S.A. via Mexico. With the money, and in exchange for the drugs, the family will provide the guerilla with weapons. The first operation of the cartel in L.A. was in 1992, when they succeed at introducing 500 Kg of cocaine in the country and killed two marines. Since then, the organization grew up and nowadays, it's the main leader in the black market of all California. We estimated that presently it has more than 250 members mainly born in our country and there isn't an only leader, we know at least three of them: Julio Molina, his brother Alberto Molina and Rico Cabrera." – Callen paused as he showed some blurry pictures of the suspects on the big screen.

He could see that some of his spectators were losing the train of his thoughts and were moving restless on their chairs. He looked at the floor trying to regain the control of the situation. The pause was longer than a normal one and Hetty started to worry. Callen was pale. Some quiet steps sounded in the bullpen of the mission, but everybody was looking at G. In low voice and raising progressively his tone Callen recited by heart looking at the people in the screen right in the eye:

- " Raul Dempsey, Brian Folk, Fred Ground, Sara Taylor, Marion Cooper, Elijah Hagenbourger, David Troian, Laura Garcia, Ralph Morrison, Alonso Gomez, Elena Zenith, Gordon Cameron, Harry Kim, Bill Bishop, Andrew Rodriguez, Nathan Deschamps, Fito Herrera, Carmen Lucas, Nicholas Lee and Johan Smith-Fritz"

Callen accompanied his words with the images of each one of the persons of the list.

- "Some between us knew this persons, they were colleagues, friends, they used to work with us and they were killed. C.I.A., D.E.A., N.C.I.S., L.A.P.D. and Port Authority we all want the same, the possibility of finishing the cartel who is killing our people. This is not about taking credit or someone's caprice in Washington. It's about justice, it is about us."

At this point a silence was nearly tangible; Callen's words had touched the heart of each one of the listeners and he got all the attention he needed to explain his plan. He continued his speech:

- "I'm aware of the enormity or this mission and of the shortage of staff, - we all suffer the scarce budget, - for this I'm only asking you to lend me ten persons in two units of four; four field agents and two technicians who will act as coordinators. I need people able to speak Spanish and Russian if possible. If not, anything but English."

A timid hand from the representative of Port Authority was seen on the screen.

- "Yes Lisa?"- asked Callen.

- "We can't even dedicate two people to your project Callen, nevertheless we are more than interested in the success of this mission."

- "In fact the only thing I need, we all need, from you, is information. You don't even have to dedicate someone to pass it, just the access to your real time database will be precious."

- "That I can do it." – she affirmed relieved.

- "Thank you."

- "What are you going to do with such a little team Callen? as you said the Molina cartel has more than two hundred members, it is nearly an army in the streets."

- "You're right Walter, I'm counting also with the help and resources such as the network of informants that each one of the agencies has and some army veterans already in place."

Callen turned and touched the screen behind him where a map of L.A. appeared. Touching it again a grid divided artificially the map, but in a way that respected the morphology of the city. He started his explanation:

- "Los Angeles will be divided in 64 areas 8 from North to South and 8 from East to West. We will position one unit per area from the South covering the 16 first areas of the city. We will prevent each little transaction, each little movement, each little extortion or business the cartel could have, providing an alternative. From there we will move forward obliging the cartel to back up. Sooner or later they'll have to face us.

- "I don't understand Callen, what alternative do you mean?"- asked the assistant director of the C.I.A.

- "Exactly what the cartel is offering. Drugs and weapons mainly"- answered G without hesitation.

Even Kensi and Deeks roared with laughter. But Callen remained composed and serious.

- "Are you kidding right?"

- "No, Charles I'm not kidding. This operation is at the most high level, we have carte blanche."

- "What do you mean exactly?"

- "That we can use the same weapons that the cartel. No laws, no limits to debunk its deals; the only rule I'll impose and it isn't negotiable is not collateral damage. Any more questions?"

A murmur extended in the bullpen and in the screens, nobody could believe such freedom, being accustomed to follow law and protocols for each little action.

- "Hey man do you know that you're crazy?"

Callen thought about Anna feeling suddenly sad and tired. His back was killing him and he knew he had to sit soon.

- "Yeah, Warren, I've been told that. And now if you don't have more questions I'll conclude asking you to select your units today. Don't let the language skills to be a problem; you know the profile I'm looking for. Tomorrow at noon I would like to address to everyone again"- he paused to add next: "Ladies, gentlemen, I don't need to remember you the confidentiality of this mission. Thank you very much for your attention and for your help."

One by one the screens went black and the N.C.I.S. team stood up commenting between them and with Hetty what had just happened. Callen sighed and touched his eyebrow when he felt a strip pulling, slightly dizzy, and exhausted, he definitely needed a painkiller. From behind the column next to his table a person advanced.

- "Sam!"